Jail term for female stalker

A STALKER was jailed this week after targeting a man's four children and his mother in her quest to get his attention.

Renee Fox was "calculated" in achieving contact with Wayne Radley but the unwanted advances - via telephone, text message and in person at all hours of the day and night - were not directed at him.

The mother-of-four's actions had forced Mr Radley to move his family from Tweed Heads in 2009 to Gympie to get away from her "obsessive behaviour".

Once she had tracked him down to the Gympie area, after she "followed or tracked" one of his daughters, she went to a pet store in the town to get his address.

She asked for "Wayne the snake man" and staff drew a mud map.

Fox's lawyer described the situation as a "relationship in its death throes" and she was trying to get in touch.

Judge Gary Long, during sentencing in Maroochydore District Court, said one of Mr Radley's daughters became "very fearful" violence would unfold when she realised Fox was repeatedly driving past their Gympie home.

He said that fear arose from a history of similar conduct involving Fox and the Radley family in the Tweed Heads areas since 2006, which had previously resulted in a restraining order.

Judge Long said there was some dispute about whether there had been an intimate relationship between Fox and Mr Radley but regardless, Fox's "obsessive behaviour" had a "detrimental impact on all of his family".

He described her stalking as "persistent and planned and directed at having contact with Wayne Radley".

"Wayne Radley had not given you those details nor had he encouraged you to go to his residence," he said.

"It should have been clear to you that his children were not tools to be used and harassed by you towards meeting your obsessive needs toward him."

She said Mr Radley met with Fox without telling his family during the time she was stalking them, which may have partly encouraged her behaviour.

Fox's lawyer said she had her first child at age 17, her second child died of SIDS and most of her relationships had been abusive.

He said she was neglected as a child, moving through children and foster homes.

Judge Long ordered her to serve five months of an 18-month jail sentence.

Fox will be released on parole in June because she has already served 71 days in custody.

A restraining order means she is not allowed contact with Mr Radley or any of his family for five years.